Death and Origin of a Senshi
by persian85033
Summary: Set in Crystal Millenium. Something unusual has happened in another star system. For no reason, a senshi has died. How will this affect the course of things?
1. Chapter 1

Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion took their seats in the conversation throne room. Facing them all around were the other rulers of the galaxy, each of them, governing one planet. Each of them as different from all the rest as was possible. Isis, dressed in the red and purple hue of the rocks of Isis, and wearing firestones, giving the impression that she was actually surrounded by flames. Denebon wrapped in fur coats against the bitter frosty weather. Solaria looking bored by the proceedings. Eos seemed to blind the others around her, with the light that radiated from her surroundings. Kakyuu watched politely. Mau and Felis looked excited. Sonorus seemed kept up a constant chatter, to the annoyance of the others around her.

"Like all stars, another has come to its end."Neo Queen Serenity began. "However, the one that has reached its end is from a multiple star system."

"There are lots of multiple star systems in the Galaxy, aren't there?"Solaria asked.

Solarians knew very little about astronomy in general, but everyone would know about multiple stellar systems. Serenity nodded.

"Yes, however, only one of those stars died. Not a star, specifically, but a planet. The other three are unharmed."

The others began to murmur. Isis's fire stones seem to suddenly burn brighter, and the others looked disturbed.

"But only one planet?"asked Kakyuu. "How? If the star burned out, all its planets would go with it, wouldn't they?"

"That's what I always thought!"Sonorus exclaimed.

"Not so loud!"Eos put her hand over her ears, which she could still feel ringing.

"I'm sorry."Sonorus lowered her volume. "It was just the surprise, you understand. Or is it some new phenomenon?"

"I don't recall anything like this ever happening before. That's why I wanted to call this meeting. If anyone else has any information in their own libraries, if their subjects would know of such a thing ever having occurred before, if they can't find information. It seems to have taken everyone completely by surprise."

"Which sector, was it? Which star?"Eos looked anxious.

"Here, in the Sirian Sector."Serenity answered her. "It was the Etal star."

Everyone nodded.

"Then we can adjourn this meeting."

Everyone said good bye as it was accustomed on their own planet. Solaria said, "Done viewing." Denebon ordered, "Break contact." Kakyuu waved. Eos turned her attention to her book.

Four women and four men walked into the room.

"We must do everything we can to help the other three senshi who remain."Mercury said, sadly. "It's so…unimaginable that one would die, and the others…"she was unable to continue.

The others looked uncomfortable.

"But how did it happen?"asked Nephrite.

"No one really knows."Serenity answered.


	2. Chapter 2

"I hope that someone else finds something! Anything would be helpful."Mercury had several books on the table before her, and was typing on her computer.

Luna and Artemis pored over the books along with her.

"This is really unusual! There's absolutely nothing!"Artemis looked alarmed. "It's unprecedented."

"Why don't you go tell everyone else that I'll be late for dinner tonight? Ask that they bring me some sandwiches here. I'm going to keep searching."

Luna and Artemis went to see about dinner. Mercury looked up, as the viewer showed that she had a call. A wall disappeared, and in its place a completely different room appeared.

"Hello."

The other woman looked up.

"Hello. This morning, Serenity asked us to look through our libraries. I've had my staff search mine."she said.

"Did you find anything?"asked Mercury hopefully.

The Solarians didn't specialize in astronomy, so if they had something, it could only mean that it was extremely significant.

"Yes and no."the Solarian answered. "What little there is on astronomy, is something anyone would know. Just common, indispensable knowledge. I did find something else, though. On the…"Solaria looked away, looking uncomfortable. "baby farm. I don't know if you knew, but it did have to do with your star."

Mercury looked puzzled.

"But, what? Our star?"she asked. "In the records at the Solarian baby farm?"

Solaria nodded.

"Apparently, one of your senshi, Pluto, was, um…started here?"she stated, unable to find a better term for it.

"Pluto? On your farm? On Solaria?"

Solaria nodded.

"Yes. I don't know if it might be helpful. It might be something completely separate, and has nothing to do with it, but, it's so unusual! First, Etal, and now this! I wanted to consult this with Serenity."

"Wait, but what about anyone else?"asked Mercury.

"That's even more unusual, still. I would have thought there would be more, but there isn't. Just Pluto. She's the only non-Solarian to have been born on Solaria. Though, that would make her a Solarian, wouldn't it?"she asked, looking amuzed.

"I have no clue."answered Mercury, shaking her head in disbelief. "I always thought that everyone was born on their own planet."

Solaria nodded.

"Everyone is. Except for Pluto, apparently."

"Why? Does it say why?"

Solaria looked uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't know. I…haven't read it. The fetologist did, I think. She must have. Genetic records are not for anyone's eyes. Except for medical or genetic reasons. No one would violate another Solarian's right to privacy! But she's not a Solarian…this is too confusing!"

"Either way, those records should be examined, and perhaps even Pluto herself must be analyzed."

"I suppose so."

"We need a copy of those records."Mercury insisted.

"I don't think that's possible. It's not customary. They aren't for anyone's eyes."

"This is a different! Perhaps there might be a connection?"

"Or it could simply be because the records have been searched. I ordered everything searched! The private libraries on others' estates, my own personal library, the Solarian planetary library, and the…farm as well. Do you really think there's a connection?"

"It could be."

"I must view Serenity and Endymion."

Mercury nodded.

"I will see to it, at once."Mercury rose, and turned to walk out of the room. "Perhaps it might be necessary to hold another meeting."

Solaria looked horrified. She didn't know Pluto very well, but she knew enough to know that if it were _her own_ records the ones made available to anyone, she would die of shame. Genetic records were not something to be discussed at one's leisure. They were not even thought about, except for those whose business it was to raise children!

"Discuss someone's genetic records?! Certainly not! It would be indecent! The height of obsenity!"she looked distraught. "I must only view Serenity!"

"I just don't know what else to do. It might not be necessary, after all."suggested Mercury.

Solaria nodded slowly. She hated it when things went out of the ordinary.

"I do hope not!"


	3. Chapter 3

Serenity, Endymion, Mercury, Luna, and Artemis found themselves in the conversation room once more, viewing Solaria from her estate, as well as another Solarian on an entirely different estate, whom they had never viewed before. The other Solarian was the fetologist who ran the baby farm, and she looked uncomfortable in the viewing presence of the others.

"I have no memory what so ever of your mother ever saying anything connected with Solaria, except for any political or economical reasons."assured Artemis. "And certainly nothing in connection with Pluto."

"Could it all be a simple mistake?"asked Luna, turning to the Solarian.

The Solarian shook her head.

"Why would there be a mistake. If things were as one wished them to, those records would be destroyed at once, but we have to keep them. For gene analysis, and medical reasons, and…such."she said, disapprovingly.

Mercury nodded.

"Of course."

"The records date back to primordial times, when this farm was established. No other non-Solarian's records are found among them."

"We must see those records, and perhaps even view the farm."said Endymion.

The Solarian turned to Solaria, who hesitated.

"If you'd like to view the farm, she can tour you, I suppose. But the records..."she looked ill.

"We must see them. I know this is against your customs, and I apologize, but Pluto is a-"Serenity was about to say Plutonian. "Pluto is not a Solarian, she may have been born there, but she was not raised on Solaria, and she is a citizen of the Crystal Kingdom."

The fetologist looked up.

"Oh, but she was raised here."she told them.

Everyone turned to her.

"What?"they asked, in unison.

"Raised as well?"Artemis sounded incredulous.

"For some time. Then she was send to the Moon."

"Then, now more than ever, we must see these records."insisted Endymion.

"You can view the farm."the fetologist said, cautiously.

Serenity and Endymion turned to Solaria.

"We must have those records, Solaria."Serenity said in a small voice.

Solaria looked uncomfortable. She turned away, and tucked at her skirt.

"It's not customary, you understand. It wouldn't exactly be illegal, but no one would ever inquire…very well."she gave in, and turned to the fetologist. "You must turn the records to Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo."she said.

The fetologist stood up and walked out of the field of vision of the others to retrieve the records.

"Copies, or the originals?"she asked.

"Maybe it had better be copies. We wouldn't want you to have files missing in your archives."said Mercury.

In a few seconds, the viewer printed out a file.

"Thank you."said Mercury, taking the papers. "We will study these, and then we may have to view you again. And perhaps Pluto as well."

"Done viewing!"said Solaria, and she and her segment of the room disappeared, as did the fetologists.

"Should I go through these records first, or finish with the Etal issue?"Mercury asked Serenity and Endymion.

"There is nothing we can do about Etal right now. We're viewing the remaining senshi tomorrow after lunch. Perhaps if someone else finds something. Right now, Pluto concerns me most. It seems so odd!"

"I agree."said Luna.

Endymion and Artemis nodded.

"Very well. Then I will study these very carefully, and see if I can't understand it all. If I have any questions, hopefully the fetologist will be available. Or Queen Solaria herself, perhaps."

Mercury began reading the records.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Endymion and Serenity viewed the remaining Etal senshi. Petra sat, quietly, her hands folded in her lap. Kendra looked upset, and Narisha looked like she was about to explode.

"It's been so difficult."said Kendra. "I don't know what we're going to do without Nadira. She was always…happy. So much fun. We always thought we'd be together…"she trailed off.

"I don't think this is really necessary."Petra turned away. "I really don't like to talk about this."she said.

"She's upset because the Equarians invited us to their planet. Petra doesn't like to leave her planet."Narisha explained.

Serenity nodded.

"We're sorry, we didn't mean to intrude on your grief. It must be difficult."Serenity admitted.

"We haven't been feeling well."Kendra burst out. "Sometimes, I just…don't feel like myself anymore!"

At that comment, Petra and Narisha looked up.

"You…"asked Narisha.

Petra said nothing.

"I think maybe we should discuss this amongst ourselves?"she asked, finally. "I have to go."

She disappeared from the room, and the original walls sprang back. The other two said good bye, and left as well.

"It's just so strange."sighed Serenity. "It must be so horrible."

Endymion nodded.

"We must also look into the issue concerning Pluto."reminded Luna.

"Have you found anything at all?"asked Artemis.

Mercury looked distressed.

"I just…don't understand. Mostly, it's about Pluto, her genetic information, her infancy, things like that. Wait…"she paused.

"What is it?"Artemis leaned over to take a closer look. "That's Queen Serenity's handwriting!"he exclaimed.

"Is it? They're to the former queen of Solaria."

"We must inform the king and queen about this at once!"

Solaria walked into the dining room, and was about to begin eating dinner, when she was told she had a call.

"Now? I'm about to eat! Tell them I will not accept contact."she said.

"It is Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion of Earth. They insist it is important."

Solaria thought.

"I will accept the call."she said.

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon. I'm sorry to have to view you at such an inconvenient time."Serenity apologized. "It seems that Pluto was also the first infant to have been cloned."

Solaria looked up.

"Before, Solarians used to marry, wouldn't they?"asked Mercury.

Solaria nodded.

"Of course. That was before."

"Apparently, it looks like Pluto's…um, father?"Serenity couldn't find a better word.

"We don't use that term here. He would have been a genetic donor."

"Well, that. We've always known that she has the blood of the God of Time, Chronos. It looks like he was cloned by the Solarians, while they were trying to solve the problem, to get rid of any need for seeing. From these letters, he volunteered."

"But Pluto is a girl."Endymion interrupted.

"It's not really cloning."Solaria explained. "It's more like…you weed it eugenically, and you…design? You design the, um, child, it can be a boy or a girl, regardless of the donor. I don't know. I suppose the fetologist could tell you, though."

"Apparently, Pluto is not aware of anything."Mercury told them. "Do you think we should tell her?"she asked.

Serenity considered.

"Perhaps we should."


	5. Chapter 5

Pluto stood, silently in one viewing screen, King Endymion, Neo Queen Serenity the only ones physically present in the room, Queen Solaria viewing from her own planet, and another woman Pluto didn't know. Solaria kept glancing at something out of the field of vision of the others, the other woman, who stood in a lab, seemed to ignore everyone completely. Finally, Queen Serenity spoke.

"Pluto, you have been called away from your task of guarding the Time Gates, due to an unforeseen occurrence."she said.

"I have noticed nothing at the Gates, Your Majesty."Pluto sounded confused.

"Pluto,"Queen Serenity began. "have you ever wondered, been told anything regarding your origin?"

Pluto looked surprised.

"No."she answered, finally.

This was going to be more difficult than Queen Serenity had foreseen it. And to add to the fact was that the two Solarians looked extremely uneasy. Solaria wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, and looked as though she wished nothing more than to disappear. The fetologist looked just as uncomfortable. Serenity looked at the Solarians, but obviously, neither of them was going to say anything unless it was necessary. She'd have to do it herself.

"Pluto,"she began. "we have uncovered information that…"she looked toward the Solarians. Neither seemed to be willing to help. "that you are…Solarian-born."she finished, not finding a better term.

Pluto stared. She turned over to Solaria and the fetologist. Solaria looked around in her room. Finally, she decided to speak.

"Yes, we found several records indicating that one of non-Solarian senshi, Sailor Pluto was incubated, born, and raised for a short time, on Solaria."

Pluto shook her head. She had very few memories, if any, before the time when she had come before the Queen, and been told her duties, and the taboos.

"I have no recollection of anything before when I was assigned to guard the Gates of Time."she told them.

"I remember a little from my childhood. When I still lived on the estate at the baby farm."Solaria said, uncomfortably. "They would let us see. Very little. But they taught us to view, as well. And…we view. We don't have our memories erased. But maybe everyone else does. No one talks about things like that."

"I've never…made adjustments in any Solarian graduating from the farm to an estate of their own."the fetologist looked angered. "If no one remembers, it would be because they do no wish to remember such things!"

Solaria nodded in agreement.

"But Pluto isn't Solarian!"Endymion cut in. "She is…at least I suppose her ancestors were Plutonian. And even if she was on Solaria, there is no Solarian in her."

"That _might_ mean the rules that are applied to Solarians weren't applied to her."

"You mean…"Pluto looked horrified.

"I don't know!"Solaria exclaimed. "This is too strange."

"Don't! You can't leave yet!"exclaimed Serenity, as Solaria made a gesture that would end viewing contact.

Solaria put her hands in her lap, and looked determinedly in a direction away from the others.

"What else can we do!"asked Solaria.

"Excuse me."the fetologist rose from her hair, and went out of the range of vision of the others.

She came back, holding some papers.

"Well, I've been thinking. Pluto couldn't have been unique in just that one way, could she? They could easily have made an exception in the case of the mind altering, couldn't they? It looks like they probably did. You remember _nothing_?"she asked Pluto.

Pluto shook her head.

"It isn't some kind of complicated joke?"she asked, anxiously.

The fetologist gestured toward the papers.

"These are proof enough that you were incubated on Solaria. I had my staff search our records here, and they found them among our records, after searching the records to look for any precedent on the incident concerning the Etal star."she looked toward Solaria. "Perhaps we could ask everyone if and what they remember about the farm?"

Solaria went white, and put her hands over her face.

"That would be unthinkable!"she said, her voice sounding muffled. "Just think of what everyone would think!"

Pluto looked just as disturbed as Solaria.

"The only way to find out would be to search Pluto's memories."suggested the fetologist.

"That's not possible by viewing."Solaria reminded them.

"I can't leave the farm."the fetologis told them. "I have my work, and so many children to look after. Someone else will have to do it. I don't think anyone else is stable enough to travel to another planet, see others, and help them search their memories. Otherwise I would go."

Solaria looked weary.

"I will have to go."she looked around. "I haven't ever left my estate before."

"The remaining Etals will be arriving as well. We couldn't get one of them to leave her planet, but I think it will help them, as well. Pluto, you will also leave the Time Gates for a while, as well."

"Very well, then I will v-I mean, see you then. Done viewing."she announced, and disappeared.

The fetologist did the same. Only Serenity, Endymion, and Pluto remained. Pluto looked distraught.

"I don't understand any of this!"she exclaimed. "Why?"

"Hopefully we will find the answers soon."


	6. Chapter 6

Pluto stood in the Crystal Hall of the Crystal Palace. She had only been here once before. It was just as she remembered it. Soon, she would be escorted to the throne room, and there, the King and Queen would be waiting for her, along with Solaria.

"That's close enough!"exclaimed Solaria.

She stood at the far end of the hall, opposite of Serenity and Endymion.

"Don't come any closer!"she exclaimed at Pluto.

Pluto stopped.

"I can…feel you."she said. "It's been so long since I've done something like this. How old are you, Pluto?"

"Four hundred decades."Pluto replied.

"That's much older than I am. I'm not even one hundred decades yet. I couldn't have…seen you at the farm. You were there much earlier than I was."

"If I was there at all.'insisted Pluto, who turned to Serenity. "I could not have been on Solaria! I was born on Pluto! Just like any other Plutonian, and any other senshi on their own planet."

"Perhaps there might be some answers at Charon Castle, as well!"suggested Serenity. "Neptune is there."

Solaria and Pluto turned her way.

"Perhaps."said Solaria. "I'd like to be alone, though. I feel much more comfortable viewing. However, for this, it is necessary to see. We might also need help with this. Perhaps an Epsilion might be able to help. They do specialize in probing minds."

"Probing minds!"Pluto looked shocked.

"If the answers aren't anywhere else?"suggested Solaria.

"That might not be necessary."said Serenity. "Perhaps Pluto can remember, with just a little…push in the right direction."

"I'm sure I can."responded Pluto.

"Well, then, I guess that you must be tired from your trip. And hungry. I don't know what your schedule was before you left Solaria, but we will have dinner in a short while, if you would join us. Or you can eat later."

"The schedule is no problem."answered Solaria. "I will join you."she said. "It's been a long time since I've dined with anyone in personal presence."

She stood up, and left the room. She had been given a small device that would guide her to the wing in which she would be staying, to avoid the necessity of having anyone accompany her. The Crystal Palace was large, although it still wasn't as big as her mansion on Solaria.

Solaria sat at the foot of the table, everyone else, several seats away from her. Really, if it wasn't for the fact that the table was the same, she could almost imagine they were viewing. She tried not to think about the fact that they were in the same room, and they could reach out and touch her, she tried to concentrate on the odor of the food, but she kept imagining that she could smell them.

"The food here isn't too different from what I eat at home."she said. "Although I will miss the pachinkas. Has there been any news from Charon?"

"Not yet."sighed Venus.

She simply stared at her plate.

"Aren't you hungry?"asked Mercury.

Venus pushed her plate away.

"I'm just a little…worried."she said, simply.

"There is much to be worried about. But perhaps there might be nothing to do worry about, and it might just be, we might just be exaggerating."commented Solaria.

"It's still better to be sure."Kunzite said.

Solaria nodded, as she observed Venus's expression at the sound of Kunzite's voice, curiously. Even if she tried, she couldn't help but notice the others. Their gestures, expressions, the tones of their voices, and so forth. There was something to them being in the same room, once she got over the initial queasiness.

"That voice upsets you?"she asked Venus later.

She didn't dare get too close.

"What voice?"asked Venus.

"Kunzite. I understand he's your…your…companion."she said, delicately.

Venus looked amused.

"My companion."she said, sadly. "I guess that's just what he is. Not husband, I can tell you that."

Solaria looked confused.

"Oh. I see. There's a difference? What I meant was that there was marriage between you?"

"I suppose that depends on what you mean by marriage. Why?"

Solaria stared at her hands.

"Well…I could see that when he spoke, it upset you. You looked upset."

Venus shrugged.

"It's just this whole business about Etal, and Pluto."

Solaria nodded.

"Of course. I'm disturbed, as well."she sat down.

"Just what do you think about all this? I mean, do you have any ideas?"Venus asked her.

"Well, she's four hundred decades old. That's like, four thousand years. Hmm, the ancestral death chambers in my estate…I've never looked at any that date that far. I know some names, but that's all. And I don't think that they would have recorded anything having to do with the farm. You would find those at that particular estate. Maybe, when her donors applied for a child, they couldn't have one the way it's customary on Pluto, and they went to Solaria."

"Donors?"Venus sounded confused.

"Her genetic donors."Solaria explained.

"Oh! Her parents!"

"I know sometimes on other worlds can't produce young, how others do. Maybe that's what happened."

"That sounds reasonable."Venus agreed.

Solaria sighed.

"I guess we'll find out soon, hopefully."

"Uh-huh. I'm going to take a walk. Would you like to come with me?"

Solaria shook her head.


	7. Chapter 7

Solaria couldn't allow herself the luxury of speaking to Pluto, Serenity, and Endymion from across the room. Fortunately, the only one present in the room was Pluto. Serenity and Endymion were viewing, as was the fetologist. Only Pluto and Solaria herself were in the room.

"I remember mostly…"Solaria began uncertainly. "I suppose everyone remembers the time while they were at the farm. It's a shameful thing we all have in our past, but everyone does their best not to remember, or at least, no one talks about it."she sighed, and tried to recall. "Um, I-how far back do your memories go?"she asked Pluto.

Pluto rubbed her forehead.

"I remember the queen telling me the taboos, and my duties as Keeper of the Time Gates."she said, frowning in an effort to remember. "I can't remember much before."

"You should remember something!"insisted Artemis. "Anything!"

The others nodded. Pluto closed her eyes, and shook her head.

"No, no, I'm sorry."she said.

"So, there is nothing to do."Solaria sounded relieved. Hopefully, she could return to her own estate by the end of the day.

"I…"Pluto began.

Everyone looked up.

"Yes?"

"It's like…a dream? I'm inside a room, and I can hear others outside. I can hear sounds, they're laughing, I think. And running. I'm alone in the room. There's only one of the…nurses with me. I wanted to go out sometimes, but I wasn't allowed."she described.

The fetologist nodded.

"We must allow them to mingle somewhat."she looked revolted. "They insist on playing with one another."

Pluto shook her head.

"No."she insisted.

"We didn't…mingle."

"You don't remember. I know. They usually play with one another, although we have an isolation time each day, which increases during the years."

"But I don't remember ever mingling, as you say."Pluto insisted. "I spent so much time alone."

"Naturally. All the youngsters do."

Pluto sighed, and looked at her hands.

"It wasn't a big room, and…I would stand by the doors, mostly. It was a small room."

This caused the fetologist to look up.

"You mean it was a small room?"she asked, shaking her head. "No, all our youngsters live in their own quarters, of course. But none of them are small. Quite the contrary. No Solarians live in small quarters. That's just…"she shook her head. "inconceivable."

She stood up, and walked to the door. The room behind her moved. Pluto noticed the window behind her.

"Wait!"Pluto stood up. "What-"

Everyone turned to stare.

"Why-it's dark outside."said Pluto.

The fetologist looked out the window.

"Well, yes, it's night outside, on this part of the planet."she sounded surprised. "I know you don't live on a planet, but surely you know that a planet revolves."

Pluto nodded.

"Yes, but, I could see the stars. Sometimes I would be taken from the room, and outside, but only when it just like that, and I would look at the stars. But only for a few minutes."she said.

"The stars?"asked Solaria.

"There's nothing special in the stars."said Solaria. "They're just that, stars."

"No! They would tell me something about the stars, but…I can't remember!"

"Perhaps that's enough."said Luna.

"On the farm, the stars, they change patterns, of course, but usually for stargazing, the stars are at their best early in the year. Sometimes, I gaze at the stars for hours on end."the fetologist said. "It's odd, though. We don't allow the youngsters to gaze at the stars."

"Perhaps we must look into that. There must be something in the stars, the patterns."suggested Artemis.

"You can see the stars from the fourth dimension, can't you?"asked Solaria. "I've never been there, but can you?"she asked.

Pluto nodded.

Solaria was enormously relieved to be alone. She sat in her private sitting room, it seemed just like on her estate, if she didn't think that only walls separated her from other people. Pluto stared at the sky. Solaria was right, she could see the stars from the fourth dimension. Perhaps, gazing at the stars she might be able to recall something else.


	8. Chapter 8

Pluto stood on the balcony, on the highest tower, gazing at the sky. The stars were the only thing in she remembered from her childhood, and the only things she could see while in the fourth dimension. And they were the only link to her childhood that she could remember.

"Maybe the pattern in the Solarian sky are the same as in the fourth dimension."suggested Nephrite.

Everyone looked thoughtful.

"That is a possibility, but I don't know what the stars are like from that part of the planet. I don't know what constellations or patterns are seen from there, or when. Solaria is a little closer to the center of the Galaxy, so…there are more stars?"Solaria suggested.

"But it wouldn't be very different from Earth. It's not too far away. At least by stellar distances."said Nephrite. "What part of the planet is this estate on?"he asked.

Solaria thought for a while.

"I think it's on the southern hemisphere, but if you really want to know, I guess you could ask any of the workers, they could tell you."she answered. "Oh, right,"she remembered. "You wouldn't have any of them here, would you? I guess…if you can find a map? I know very little outside of my own estate. I suppose it's the same here, in Crystal Tokyo?"

"I guess you're right there."conceded Mars. "We really don't leave Crystal Tokyo."

"But is there any significant constellation that can be seen from the Solarian sky?"asked Nephrite.

"I don't really care that much for star patterns."said Solaria, shrugging. "I was taught a bit of astronomy, and I suppose my successor shall be taught, as well, but that was only because I am a senshi. I don't think you will find any other Solarian even remotely interested in astronomy. The only interest would be to gaze at the stars."

Mercury took out her small computer.

"Constellations and star patterns as seen from Solaria's southern sky."she muttered, typing away. "Hmm, most of them are the same as seen from Earth, but they rise and set at different times, and are seen from different angles. There's really no difference, except that maybe that some constellations look a little different."she told everyone else.

"Maybe she was simply there because, as Nephrite said, the stars are similar in the fourth dimension, and as she was going to stand at the Time Gates, it would make her more familiar with it."Solaria suggested.

"But she could have become just as familiar here, on Earth, then. Or even from Pluto."said Mercury. "It still doesn't answer why she was on Solaria."

"Or why there would have been such an intrusion."agreed Solaria.

"Intrusion?"asked Mars.

Solaria shrugged.

"Well, she lived there, and it's really only very rarely that we have guests. The more time we spent alone, the happier we are. But that was on the farm, and only youngsters are there. They aren't Solarians, not really, anyway."

"You have an interesting way of viewing children."observed Jupiter.

"Let's not discuss children."said Venus, severely.

"I really never thought I'd see a Venusian look so…unhappy."said Solaria. "I guess that it really must be quite horrible being brought up on a planet where seeing is expected. And..interacting with others. But I always thought Venusians enjoyed that sort of thing. At least that they were raised to like it."

"Well, one never knows about the customs of other planets, do they?"asked Mars. "And you can't always trust what other people hear."

"I suppose so."admitted Solaria. "So, we've discarded the, um, stars as a reason for Pluto to have been raised on Solaria."

Everyone nodded.

"The stars might still help us. Nephrite knows about astrology, and those things."said Jupiter.

"And you can trust the stars?"

"Of course. The stars know everything."

"It can't hurt to try, then."said Queen Serenity.

"I don't think you'll get much out of stars. Stars are just that. Stars. Suns with planets around them. The only way to get to know someone is by a gene analysis. Hasn't Pluto had one of those?"asked Solaria.

"Probably plenty when she lived on your planet."Jupiter told her.

"That's probably true. No one is allowed to graduate without a gene analysis."

"And apparently, it's said nothing, other than Pluto is exactly who she is."finished Mars. "Then do you have any other ideas?"she asked Solaria.

"No."admitted Solaria, although she still didn't see how star gazing could help them any further in solving the problem.

"And for star gazing, I insist that it would be better to do that from a world that is closer to the center of the Galaxy. I've never been to a world close to the center of the Galaxy."she admitted. "Except, of course, for the Galaxy Cauldron, but that doesn't really count, does it? But I've heard that the stars are very beautiful there, you can hardly see any sky."

"That would rather defeat the purpose, wouldn't it?"Mars was clearly not enjoying Solaria's lecture on star gazing.

Jadeite looked as though he was going to say something, but seemed to think better of it. Solaria, noticing it, giggled.

"What's so funny?"asked Zoicite.

"Nothing."she assured him.

"Why does Jadeite seem to be so afraid of Mars?"she later asked Jupiter. "He looked as if he was going to address, but then decided it would be better not to. You know, when I was talking about the night sky from the worlds closer to the Galaxy Cauldron."

"Oh, don't worry about that."said Jupiter happily. "Mars just has a bit of a temper, is all."

"But isn't Jadeite her husband?"

"That's exactly why he's the one who's more anxious to not provoke her."

"This is all so…bizarre."Solaria admitted. "I always thought that people on other planets, who saw each other every day, and married each other, would…"she hesitated, trying to find the right words. "That they would get along much better. Jadeite's afraid of Mars, and Venus never looks happy with Kunzite."

Jupiter looked up.

"Well, everyone understands and is sympathetic with Jadeite. After all, we all know what Mars is like when she's in a temper. Venus, well, I've never noticed that she wasn't happy with Kunzite. Whatever gave you that idea?"she asked.

"I know that Venus isn't someone on my estate, but I can't help it. I just know that there's _something_."


	9. Chapter 9

Venus sat on the terrace, alone. She heard footsteps coming from inside, and a few minutes later, Solaria came out, and looked surprise.

"I guess you're not used to just meeting people, where you go."

"I'm getting used to it, I think."Solaria assured her.

She sat a bit away from Venus.

"You really are from Venus?"asked Solaria.

Venus nodded.

"Obviously."

"And you've lived there?"

"Yes. I was married on Venus, of course, and even though we all live here, on Earth, in Crystal Tokyo, it's our duty to guard the Royal Family, each of us also visits our own planet, of course. And I also spent my early years there."

"Wow."whispered Solaria.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. I've read about Venus, though."she replied.

Venus nodded.

"You just…I would have thought you'd be more cheerful. At least that's what I've heard most Venusians are like."

"Well, most of us are. I usually was a little more cheerful, before I was married, anyway."

Solaria nodded, sympathetically.

"I've been told marriage was the hardest thing in life. Fortunately, I don't have to marry. None of use do anymore. We used to, though. Now we don't have to, that's why we became such experts in genetics."

"None of it turned out like I expected!"Venus said.

"Oh."Solaria hesitated. "What did you expect?"she asked.

She knew that if you married someone it would mean that you would see them, at least a few times, if not all the time. Why would seeing someone bother Venus, she wondered. Seeing was a perfectly normal thing on Venus.

"It wasn't the seeing."Venus told her. "It was…he's…you know, I used something on him. You know, a perfume, love potion."she explained.

"Oh. I've heard of those."answered Solaria. "Do they really work?"

"I don't know if they'd work on you."Venus sounded amused. "It's been my understanding that Solarians have modified themselves so that they are, immune should we say, that they are immune to that kind of thing."

"Oh, yes."Solaria confirmed. "I never wear perfumes, of course, because no one is ever close enough."she looked a bit uncomfortable. "I, er, sometimes order them, but only a few times,"she added, hastily. "I just wanted to see what it smelled like. I don't know why people like it, though. It just smelled like…certain flowers, but you can always smell flowers in the fields. Others were a little difficult to decipher."she shrugged.

"If you put it that way, then I'm not really sure how or why those love potions or perfumes work. I always knew they don't really create love, of course,"she admitted. "that's why you'd need something very strong, if you're determined to use it on someone who doesn't love you. I didn't have to. It was just a simple one. He must love me! Otherwise, he wouldn't have responded to it at all."

Solaria found it fascinating to be having such an extraordinary conversation, she knew she could never have such a conversation with another Solarian. Perhaps these were the kind of things people saw each other for. She had no clue what to say to her. After all, what did one do if they were married to someone they didn't like?

"Maybe you weren't assigned properly?"she suggested.

Venus looked puzzled.

"Assigned?'she asked.

"Assigned to each other."Solaria clarified. "Isn't that how you would know who is the right person for you to marry? If you're matched up?"

Venus shook her head.

"I never heard of such a thing. You can't assign people. People choose who they want to marry."

"But how would they know?"

"They…just do."

Both girls stared at each other, with puzzled looks on their faces.

"I don't think we're even talking about the same thing here."Venus finally spoke.

"Uh, no, I guess not."Solaria agreed. "So, if you aren't happy being married, why did you do it? Why would anyone do anything that doesn't make them happy?"she asked.

"Well, because I thought it would be different, you know. I mean, like Queen Serenity and King Endymion."

"They are married."Solaria commented. "I knew the queen of Crystal Tokyo was married."

"Sort of like them."Venus shrugged.

Never having been around people much, Solaria obviously wasn't a very good judge of character. She'd never given Kunzite a thought before, after all, he was simply the head of the king's four guardians, as Venus was of the queen's.

"He seems normal."she said.

After all, he acted just like everyone else she'd met here.

"I'm not saying he's abnormal, he's just not…very affectionate, I guess you could say. Oh, I hope I didn't embarrass you."

"Um, no."answered Solaria, although she did look a bit uncomfortable. "I'm getting used to it."she assured. "But why would it bother you that he's not…"she took a deep breath. "that he's not affectionate."she finished.

"That's more personal."Venus answered.

"Oh,"Solaria turned. "I didn't mean to ask that. I know your own personal life is none of my business. I think I'd better leave."

She ran back inside.


	10. Chapter 10

_We're back to where we started from!_Solaria thought, as she sat in what she though of as the conversation room. It was nothing at all, like the conversation room in her mansion, although she seldomly ever visited it, only on very rare occasions, such as when she viewed someone from another planet, and sometimes not even then. She much preferred to have the viewing technician have the other person view her from whatever room she happened to be at that time. This time, apart from Queen Serenity, King Endymion and herself, all eight guardians, the king and queen's, and Luna and Artemis, the moon cats, and royal advisors. And of course, Pluto was there as well.

"I've read just about everything I could find! Perhaps if I went to Marina Castle, there might be something there, but I doubt it."Mercury said.

"It could all just have been…just something they decided to do, randomly. Some experiment."suggested Zoicite.

Mercury threw him a warning look.

"I insist there must be something else here. It's too bizarre."Queen Serenity told them.

"Why else would anyone do that, other than to have a successor, and if they have them designed, it would be because that's they're looking for certain qualities."Solaria blurted out.

She regretted it at once, as everyone turned to stare at her.

"Solarians, maybe, but no one else would."Jupiter spoke.

"What qualities would Chronos be looking for in a…successor?"asked Artemis.

He would normally have used the term daughter, however, remembering Solaria's presence, said successor, as she would have found even the term heiress offensive. Solaria, however, was relieved that everyone turned to Artemis, she even managed a small smile of relief.

"Someone to guard the fourth dimensions? Follow the taboos?"Luna commented.

"But that's actually very recent. If Pluto is four hundred, or four thousand decades, I can't remember exactly, but I don't think it could have been possible that she could have been designed properly. At least not that way. The cloning, and even that her genetic donor was male, and she is female, that was quite possible then, but not the designing. Even today, it isn't easy. Mutations, and, I don't know, that isn't my business. I think that was only started maybe, ten decades, or so ago."Solaria shrugged. "Certainly not more than twenty decades ago. Not more."she assured them. "It was being experimented for so long. Adjusting genes, everything, there were many failures, however, only recently was it a success. I remember, because, well, on Solaria one hears about everything."

"But maybe Pluto was one of those experiments?"asked Jadeite.

"That simple?"asked Luna. "Pluto was simply an experiment?"

"I think it could have turned out too perfectly, for just an experiment."Solaria stared at Pluto.

"Besides, if that was so, then why did she stay on Solaria for so long?"asked Artemis.

"All of us spend time on that estate, until we graduate to estates of our own. It is only natural that she would have."

"She could have been send back to Pluto."argued Mars.

"But she was, eventually."

"I've actually only been on Pluto a few times."Pluto spoke. "Most of the time I've spent guarding the time gates."

"Chronos did that before?"asked Jupiter.

"Yes."confirmed Artemis.


	11. Chapter 11

"I know! Maybe if we found some accounts of Chronos's life."suggested Artemis. "There might be something in there?"

"Like Chronos's autobiography? I never even knew he took the time to write an autobiography."Venus sounded surprised.

"I don't think he did, actually."Artemis corrected. "At least I don't think it's likely, but other people could have written accounts of his life."

"I thought you'd poured through every book!"Solaria demanded.

"I was only looking for book on Solaria, and Pluto, not about Chronos, and especially not his life."Mercury answered. "However, now that we are looking for that, we'll know where to look, and what to look for."

"And do you think it will help?"inquired Solaria.

"Of course. We're bound to find something. After all, wasn't he the god of time, or something?"Jupiter assured. "And what else have we got?"she asked.

Everyone else agreed.

"I do hope we find the answers we're looking for. This is all so mysterious, I don't know what to make of it. I'll consult the flames, however."said Mars, as she stood up, and headed toward the exit.

Everyone else did the same, they said good bye, and walked out of the room. As usual, Solaria stayed behind, so as to enjoy the empty room, and to avoid coming too close to anyone. Finally, the only ones left in the room, were Luna, Artemis, as they were not human, she didn't mind their presence, and Solaria herself.

"You seem to be very calm and composed, despite experiencing such a drastic change in life style."Artemis said to her.

Solaria simply nodded briefly.

"Stability is something that is in my genes. It was bred into me from the very beginning. Something like this was always bound to happen, wasn't it? It was foreseen, in a way, and even though it's been difficult to see people, I haven't broken down. And that's important."she told them.

"Of course it is."agreed Luna. "And it's amazing how you've been able to hold up."

"I just hope it helps solve all this. You know,"she sounded amused. "I think I'm not just getting used to it, I think I may be starting to like it. You learn a lot about people by seeing them, and even living in the same palace with them. I've never lived in the same ward with another person, much less the same room."

"Ugh, it does get a bit annoying. I think that must have been why Solarians live as far apart from one another."Luna rolled her eyes.

Solaria smiled.

"Probably."she really hadn't ever thought about it. "I just assumed that was how things were supposed to be. The way they always were, the way they would always be. I knew on other planets people lived together, but that always seemed a bit barbarous, don't you think?"

"I guess it would seem that way to you. What do you think of it?"

"I think I actually enjoy it sometimes."Solaria giggled. "I like to watch everyone bicker. It seems so pointless and silly. Especially over meals. I'm starting to see the attraction in dining with others. I usually liked to dine alone, well, that was the only way I dined."

"I used to hope everyone would mature over time, however, you're absolutely right. They seem to be their immature selves, when they were starting to fight as senshi. Although you're right. Sometimes it is a bit amusing to watch them argue."Luna agreed.

"I actually look forward to meals more often now, more because of the people, than the food itself."she got up, and headed out of the room, Luna and Artemis at her heels.

Mercury sat looking through several thick books. They were all old, and most of them in very old, almost indecipherable writing. She had to use another book to help her translate some parts of them. Most of the books in the Crystal Palace library dealt with the history of the Moon Kingdom, the Silver Millenium, the early history of the Crystal Millenium, as most of the other libraries on the other planets in the Solar Systems, apart from the history of each individual planet.

However, the Crystal Palace library was the richest in information about the entire Solar System, perhaps even in this sector of the Galaxy, and even the other planets, so it was the best place for what she was searching for, although it still wasn't easy. Chronos, or anything relating to him, was hardly mentioned anywhere, some in only brief prologues. She finally only had only a couple of books left, when she finally came across something that was more than a few sentences long. It was an entire chapter, if only a short one, and she turned to it.

It was in ancient Plutonian, which was parsecs from anything resembling Mercurian, and languages weren't exactly her specialty, so she had more trouble deciphering it, and it took longer. She gasped. It seemed like she had finally found the answer she was looking for. At least the beginning of the an answer.


	12. Chapter 12

"You would understand it better than I could!"Mercury ran to Solaria, and pointed at the paragraph, gesturing for her to read it. "One of your specialties is language, isn't it?"

Reluctantly, Solaria took the book from Mercury's hands. Trying not to show the revulsion she unconsciously felt at touching an object which had been touched by another, she held it away from her face, and touched it only with her fingertips.

"Does it say anything?"asked Mars, eagerly.

Solaria was uncomfortable aware that everyone's attention was focused on her. Even Jadeite's attention wasn't on the weather.

"Uh,"she tried to ignore the eyes on her. Clearing her throat, she took her handkerchief, and held the book so she wouldn't have to touch it, holding it in front of her face.

It took just about everyone's self control to be patient. Mercury watched Solaria apprehensively. Mars tapped the table. Pluto looked anxious. Venus closed and open her fan nervously. Jupiter kept shrugging Nephrite's hand off her shoulder, irritably. Kunzite's attention was focused on Solaria. Jadeite was biting his fingernails. Zoicite stroked Mercury's hand. King Endymion kept glancing out the window, as though expecting it to rain, snow, or some other change in the weather. Queen Serenity's knuckles almost turned white as she held her scepter.

"Well?"asked the queen.

Solaria's eyes were wide open, and she'd forgotten all about not touching the book. Her handkerchief fell on the ground. She looked like she was about to faint. Slowly, she set the book down, and turned her eyes to face the others in the room.

"Well?"demanded Kunzite, in a harsh tone.

"Don't speak to her like that!"Venus snapped angrily at him.

Solaria's attention was diverted to them. She stared at them, for what seemed like a long time, then looked at her hands.

"Did you find anything?"asked Jupiter.

Everyone was obviously running out of patience. Solaria cleared her throat, and began to speak.

"Would Chronos be immortal?"she asked, looking slightly sick.

Everyone stared.

"What do you mean?"asked Zoicite. "Immortal? Do you mean that he's still alive?"

"Oh, no! At least not that I can tell from this."Solaria gestured at the book.

"A Sailor Crystal?"suggested Mars.

Solaria looked up, a surprised look on her face.

"Uh, no. I don't think that's likely."Solaria said, slowly, shaking her head. "Is it?"she looked toward Luna and Artemis, who shook their heads.

"Can't you just say?"asked Nephrite.

She took a deep breath, and decided to tell them.

"Let's see, I'm not sure where to start. Well, Chronos was the god of time, right? As to whether or not he was immortal, I don't think he was. At least, he couldn't have been, from what it says here. I don't think many would be able to guard the gates of time. It's a difficult task. Apparently, Chronos himself found it quite a challenging. That was why he went to Solaria. He knew that his successor had to be…much stronger. That's why he didn't want to be cloned. If he was cloned, his successor would face the same challenges he did. He wanted his successor to learn to live the Solarian way. Apparently, he thought that was best for her. As we live away from each other, and that was what was required of the guardian of time.

Yes,"she looked at the book, nodding. "His successor would be raised on Solaria. Firstly, all the genes governing any…need for gregariousness, those had to be removed. And that way, it will at least make it easier to adjust to such a way of life. Of course, there isn't any instinct that won't give way to a good, persistent education."she stopped, thinking hard, remembering. "We all had to sleep along from the very first. Sometimes we were allowed to,"she looked uncomfortable. "mingle. Though, that happened less and less as time went by. And everyone had their alone time, which increased over the years. Of course, we were accustomed to the best luxuries, as everyone is, on Solaria."she finished.

"I've never seen any luxuries in the fourth dimension. Or have you?"Jupiter looked at everyone.

Those who had been there, shook their heads. Upon hearing Solaria remember her childhood, Pluto closed her eyes, as memories flooded her mind. She remembered her own childhood on the same estate. Some of the things Solaria said, she could identify with, like the trees, even the ornamental pond. Some of the things, she couldn't remember at all. Certainly not a big room, or any of the comforts Solaria spoke about. What she did remember was the Solarian night sky, and the long, lonely hours, interrupted only by someone viewing her, at times, as she listened to Solaria, and the memories flooding her mind.

"Do you feel well?"asked Mercury, as she saw Pluto lost her balance.


	13. Chapter 13

Pluto opened her eyes, looking around.

"What happened?"asked Pluto, as she struggled to get up.

Mars held her back.

"You fainted. And you were calling for someone, and you kept reaching out, like you were trying to stop someone."Mars explained. "Were you having a bad dream? What did you see?"

Pluto sat up, and looked around. She was in a different room. She remembered listening to Solaria tell them about Chronos. She had said he had gone to the Solarians for a Successor?

"A Successor?"she whispered.

She knew that was the term the Solarians used for those who took over another Solarian's estate when they died. They would never say son or daughter. No one even knew if they were related at all.

"Do you remember anything before you fainted?"asked Mars.

"I know Solaria was telling us about some of the customs on her planet. I couldn't help it. She was telling us about the farm! And it was like, suddenly, I could remember things, and they just flooded my mind, and I couldn't control it."she said, closing her eyes. "I remembered so many things."

"Like…?"

"A lot of things. It's all so…confusing. Was it all just a dream? Could it have been a dream? Or was it real?"

Pluto didn't know whether she wanted it to have been a dream or not.

"I don't think it could have been a dream."Mars told her. "Why would they have removed, or blocked your memory, anyway? Why could anyone have been afraid that you would find out?"

It seemed that this raised more questions that it had answered.

"But I thought everyone received all their memories with the coming of Crystal Tokyo!"Jupiter sounded indignant.

"Maybe just us."Mars suggested. "Maybe Neptune, Uranus, and Saturn don't remember anything as well."

"Saturn remembers."Queen Serenity assured. "At least Small Lady assures us she does."

"The one being groomed for the throne?"asked Solaria. "How would your successor know anything about the past? Even if she has traveled to the past, wouldn't there still be things she wouldn't know."she chuckled. "It's an interesting way to have your Successor learn. I don't know if I fancy having mine send here, though. It'd be rather…awkward, don't you think?"

"Oh, believe me, in some ways it was."assured Venus, nodding. "But at least then we had more reasons to not stray from the path that led us to Crystal Tokyo."

"Why would anyone not stray, if it's their destiny, their fate?!"Solaria sounded incredulous.

"I haven't heard of anyone doing that, really."Kunzite told her. "It wouldn't be very dignified of them, would it?"

"I should think not."replied Mars, shaking her head.

"But what about the others? Like you were saying?"Jadeite reminded everyone. "So only Saturn remembers about her past, what about Neptune and Uranus?"

"I always thought they did. They said that they guarded the Moon Kingdom from outside invasion during the Silver Millenium."

"Pluto remembered that, too."Mercury told them. "Maybe it has something to do with spending time in the fourth dimension?"

"Oh, but being there, she could just travel back to her own childhood, couldn't she? And just see? If she really wanted to find out."suggested Zoicite.

Everyone shook their heads.

"No. That must be another taboo. Besides, she can't be in two places at once, in any dimension! I mean, what would you do, if you just saw yourself observing you?!"asked Mercury.

"I'd think I'd have gone insane."said Jadeite.

"Jadeite, you already are."Nephrite told him.

"He is?"Solaria asked, her eyes wide.

"He didn't mean it."Venus assured her. "He was just teasing."

"Oh. I thought, for a while, we really were in the same room, as someone who could possibly be dangerous."

"Uh, no, don't think that."Endymion assured. "Everyone's perfectly safe here. No one who's dangerous could possibly get through Kunzite's security, after all."

"Of course not. Seeing how his duty, especially the Royal Family's security, and their guests' as well, is Kunzite's very first priority in life. Not to mention it's his second, third, fourth, and fifth, as well."Venus told them.

Kunzite did not look too happy at her statement.

"That's certainly good to know. On Solaria, we have no need for such things, as there are so few of us. Our population so tiny, and so widely scattered. We all have all we could possibly want. And to get so close to another Solarian,"she shuttered. "it's quite an unpleasant thought, don't you think?"

"Solarians aren't the only ones who think like that, I assure you."said Venus, darkly.

"Now we know that at least Pluto probably might. But I don't know about Plutonians in general."said Jupiter.

"We don't have cookies like these at home."said Solaria, thoughtfully. "Or tea. Come to think of it, I don't think we have any food like this at home. Is there any kind of ingredients that your chef uses? Or perhaps you are fortunate enough to have Jovian chef? A Jovian cooks for me, as well, everyone knows the best chefs come from Jupiter, but even she doesn't cook this good."

"Oh, we do have a Jovian chef. Me."said Jupiter. "As for the ingredients, well, I do use the freshest."


	14. Chapter 14

The room was usually orderly and organized, but that was more due to the fact that the one of the owners was so tidy. In some things they were complete opposites. One of them sat on a settee by the window.

"Something wrong?"asked Artemis, as he climbed on the settee. "You look so gloomy. Who'd have thought that I'd ever see the princess of Venus so down in the dumps? It's usually you the one cheering me up."he chuckled. "What's the matter? Where you crying?"he sounded alarmed. "Gee, I didn't know you'd take it so hard! Uh, is it because of Pluto's reaction to the news? I guess she never imagined such a thing, and it took her completely by surprise. Was it that you thought maybe something similar had happened to you? There's nothing to worry about there, you know. I know perfectly well, for a fact that you are descended from Aphrodite, but not in the way Pluto is from Chronos. It was a perfectly normal-"

"Oh, Artemis, just shut up!"she exclaimed.

"Gee, sorry."

He didn't know what to do.

"Is it because your husband insists you keep the room so organized? I remember before you married, you usually seemed more at home in, uh, not quite a clutter. Although you could always find what you needed. You only lost other things."he chuckled.

"Kunzite is not really my husband! Not really!"she told him. "You're just making everything worse!"

"I always thought that people went to Venusians if they had trouble with their marriages. I never thought Venusians themselves ever had problems."Jupiter sounded amused.

Solaria looked just as amuse as they sat on the veranda, while Artemis told them about his little chat with Venus.

"You know,"he said. "you're quite right there, Jupiter. During the Silver Millennium, when I lived on Venus, I never saw this kind of thing. Hmm,"he looked thoughtful. "do you suppose it could have something to do with the fact that he's not fromVenus?"

Solaria looked blank.

"What does that have to do with anything? I've heard intermarrying, even from different star systems isn't uncommon."she said.

Artemis nodded.

"I guess you're right. Still, I'm a bit worried. It's very rare that I ever see Princess Venus in tears."

Jupiter nodded.

"She's always so happy, cheering everyone up."

"Maybe you should ask Nephrite to speak to Kunzite."Artemis suggested.

"Why should she ask someone who doesn't have any idea to speak to someone else?"Solaria asked him. "You could do it. You already know, after all."

"Huh?"Artemis didn't look too pleased with Solaria's suggestion. "So how's Pluto?"he asked.

"She's all right. A bit confused. She keeps remembering different things."Jupiter said. "We may need to bring someone to probe her mind. They come to her in dreams, and she's been very restless."

"That's not good."said Artemis.

"But I'm pretty sure she'll be all right."she assured him.

"Of course."he agreed.

"And I think Kunzite must be in the library, Artemis."Solaria told him.

"If he's not patrolling the Palace!"said Jupiter.

"Uh, but I thought Nephrite was going to talk to him."

"I don't think so."Jupiter answered. "I thought we agreed Artemis was the one who would."

Artemis turned, and walked away, without answering, leaving Solaria and Jupiter arguing over whether or not they had agreed he would. He wished he hadn't said anything, to begin with. Kunzite always gave the impression that you were interrupting, or annoying him. Except if you were King Endymion or Queen Serenity. Now that was an idea! Maybe he could ask Queen Serenity to speak to him. For sure, they were the only ones who didn't seem to annoy Kunzite. Maybe that was the whole problem. After all, Artemis knew just how outgoing, and talkative Venus could be. She always loved to chit chat with anyone who came her way. The problem must be that Kunzite snapped at her every time she spoke to him. Yes, Artemis congratulated himself on having solved the whole thing on his own. Now there would be no need to ask anyone to talk to Kunzite. Or maybe there was! After all, he still had to solve the problem. He thought again, of asking the king or queen. Or he could just ask Nephrite himself. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts and not looking where he was going, that he bumped into Jadeite. Or rather, Jadeite bumped into him. Jadeite tripped, and crashed into a small table with some of Mars's favorite figurines on it. The small ornaments fell on the floor and broke. Artemis decided he shouldn't stay long. When Mars found out they were broken, well, he was just thankful he wasn't going to be in Jadeite's shoes. He ran from the corridor, leaving Jadeite to clean up the mess, and hoping he hadn't noticed which cat he had tripped over.

"Where have you been?"asked Luna crossly.

"Huh?"he hadn't even heard her footsteps.

"I've been looking everywhere for you."she said, frowning.

"Uh, oh, I've just been enjoying the wonderful view of the sunset from the balcony. He he."he said, nervously.

He wished he hadn't.

"You've been day dreaming, while the king and queen could be needing our advise?!"exclaimed Luna.

"Oh, gee, sorry. I was just day dreaming about whether Pluto enjoyed yesterday's lunch. I mean, everyone else seemed to."

Luna began scolding him, all the way back the library.


	15. Chapter 15

Pluto lay, thinking. Being the Senshi of Time, she knew exactly how long she'd been there. It had already been over one day. She kept seeing images, which floated around in her head, sometimes being unable to tell one from another. It was just like being trapped in her own mind. Sometimes she wasn't sure if what she was seeing were actual memories, or perhaps just her imagination. Sometimes someone would come in, but somehow she just wanted to be left alone. Left alone to think. Yet she didn't want to be left alone, either. No one seemed to be able to find answers in anything. Any books, or records, nothing.

Her staff stood against the wall. That might be a way to find some answers, she thought. Nothing else seemed to have worked, and she couldn't live the rest of her life like this, either. She got up, took her staff, and a key from her belt. She would find the answers on her own, then.

Even though she'd traveled through time before, she'd always had some idea of where she would go. Now, she was going somewhere completely unknown.

"I think that she's very depressed. This is starting to worry me."said Venus.

The other senshi sat in one of the sitting rooms of the palace. Mercury held a book in her hands, the others waving fans.

"It is worrying."admitted Jupiter. "Maybe we could do something to cheer her up."

Mercury turned the page.

"Hmm, maybe I could bake her some special cookies!"said Jupiter.

"That would be so awesome!"exclaimed Queen Serenity.

She was usually calm, and serene, however, her old, childish self would come through. Especially during meal times, or when someone mentioned her favorite foods. Solaria smiled.

"I've never cooked. Or baked."she said. "But I'd like to do something to help Pluto, as well."she stood up.

"It says here, that chocolate is good for when you're feeling down."said Mercury, putting her book down. "Perhaps some gifts would also help."

"Some flowers, too!"said Jupiter.

Pretty soon, everyone was deciding what they would do to help cheer up Pluto.

"I never thought that doing something like this would be so much fun."said Solaria as she pulled the cookies out of the oven. "I never did any of this on my home planet, of course. It just never occurred to me to do so. After all, that is what the chef is for. However, I think I would like to learn more. Do you suppose I could learn? I don't know that it would be appropriate, though, would it?"she asked Jupiter.

"Why not?"Jupiter asked.

Solaria looked doubtful.

"I don't know…I mean, in the kitchen, with the chef?"

"There'd be nothing wrong with it. I mean, aren't you a princess!"demanded Jupiter.

"I guess if I wanted, that could be something considered to be done if I pleased."Solaria admitted.

Jupiter also gathered some flowers, and they went to the room where Pluto had spent the last couple of days. They walked in to find it empty.

"Where is she?"asked Solaria. "Could she have gone anywhere?"

Looking around, they both noticed her staff was gone as well.


	16. Chapter 16

Pluto regained her balance, and observed her surroundings. The whole place was made of what seemed to be white marble. The floors, walls, ceiling high overhead as well. She heard voices from what seemed like the other end. Out of a window, she could see a landscape, with several people watering, pruning, and looking after several plants. They were completely oblivious to her, only absorbed in their work. She looked up towards the sky, blinked, and quickly looked away. What planet was she on? It couldn't be Earth. On Earth the sun was much larger and not as bright. The light here also had a different quality to it. Even though it was early or late in the day, she couldn't tell which from the position of the sun in the sky, it looked bright enough to be close to midday. She decided to ignore this, and keep on her path. She was grateful her footsteps made no sound on the floor. Finally, she reached an open door. It led into a large room, just as featureless as the corridor through which she'd come. The only thing in this room, was one woman, sitting in a chair in one end of the room. Another person, an attendant, Pluto thought stood at her elbow, as though waiting for orders, and someone else manipulating controls on a wall. The opposite wall disappeared, and she saw someone else speaking. Pluto thought she'd seen him somewhere before.

"I hope I haven't kept you waiting."said the person who'd appeared the wall had been.

"I haven't been waiting long."she shrugged. "But I am confident you won't have the same problem even some natives have with local time. It's very irritating, to receive calls in the early morning, or middle of the night, and the caller usually has no idea about the time it is on your portion of the planet."

He shook his head.

"Your time system was explained to me on the ship. I assure you it won't be a problem."

She smiled.

"And you're staying on the same estate. Time can vary by estate, even, if the estate is big enough."she looked pleased. "But are you comfortable?"

"Yes, thank you."

"And you came here to see our fetologist."

"That's right."he confirmed. "It's very important that I do."

This must be Chronos. Eagerly, Pluto leaned in to listen.

"I personally don't see why anyone would want anything to do with that kind of thing,"she held out her hands helplessly. "but I hope that we can be helpful. All of us will help in any way we can."

He nodded.

"I thank you. I'm sure the trip from here to will be valuable."

She obviously looked pleased. She gave him the latitude and longitude for the segment of the planet where the baby farm was to be found.

"I'd like to see it."

She looked confused.

"If you want a tour, I'm sure our fetologist can allow you to view the farm."

He shook his head.

"I've come to your planet to see if you could help me achieve an appropriate Successor."he told her. "It looks like you Solarians are the most accomplished geneticist in the Galaxy-"

"We only create our own. There are those among the other stars who would not approve of our ways."she interrupted.

"I would like a Successor of Solarian origin."

"You would like a Solarian to be Guardian of the Time Gates?"she asked.

"No, but I would like my Successor to have some qualities unique to Solaria."

"I'm sure that the one assigned to the job as fetologist will be, uh, willing to help you. It's one of those jobs that must be done, but no one ever wants to do, and can you blame them?"she shuddered in disgust.

He smiled.

"That would be one of the qualities I would like to see in my Successor."he said, nodding.

"It's a very desirable quality in any Successor. You wouldn't want a barbarian, would you?"

Pluto held out the key once more, and the scene before her eyes changed. She concentrated on the coordinates she had heard the queen of Solaria give. They would take her to the baby farm, she was sure. Sure enough, when she was on her feet again, and looked around, she felt a sense of déjà vu. She felt like she'd been there before, but couldn't quite make out when. She saw Chronos again, with a different Solarian this time. He dressed in much plainer clothes, it was obvious that his appearance was not the first thing on his mind, as it was the queen's. He was consulting a computer, and several records, and explaining to Chronos about enzymes.

"We only produce healthy babies."he was saying. "It is our job to make sure only healthy babies are born. And even then, there's always a risk of mutations, and things like that, so we keep a very close eye on them, and once they graduate from the farm, and go to estates of their own, we know everything there is to know about them."

"You do?"asked Chronos.

The Solarian nodded.

"Of course, there's always the chance that they might develop something later in life, but then that would mean the gene analysis was imperfect, and if they've donated genes, their recipients would have to be found, and it's a very complicated procedure."

They walked into another room, in which there were several fetuses in tanks.

"What would you like to see in yours?"the Solarian asked Chronos.

"Most of all, I would like for my Successor to lack most if not all need for human companionship. Just like any Solarian would. Even be repulsed by it if necessary. Standing at the Time Gates is not easy. I do not want my Successor to feel…isolated. Solarians see no one, and the few I've viewed seem relatively happy. That is what I want."

"That would be more than just manipulating the genes. That would also be influenced by the upbringing. But I'm sure we have the right conditions here. We never forget what we must teach our youngsters, and prepare them for adulthood. I'm sure we can raise your Successor here as well."


	17. Chapter 17

Now, Pluto moved further in time. She wanted to see what she didn't remember about her childhood. Now, she was in the room she had seen, with the fetuses in the tanks. The same Solarian, the fetologist, she assumed stood before one. An image of Chronos observed him. Two other images observed as well. Pluto recognized one as Queen Serenity, Neo Queen Serenity's mother. From what Pluto could tell, she had just been crowned.

"I think that birth can be risked. All of the analyses look fine. However, we will know more as she matures."

"And it was fine?"asked Queen Serenity. "Even though it's a female?"

"No problems that we've been able to detect. As soon as it's gestation period is complete, we will proceed to raising it."

The images blurred and disappeared, and Pluto them saw one of the laborers holding a bundle, with the same images, as well as Chronos.

"Is it completely necessary?"Chronos asked the fetologist.

The Solarian nodded.

"Of course. She couldn't survive on her own, at least not at this stage. And all our youngsters go through the social animal stage, even Solarian."

"Can it be avoided, though?"Chronos inquired again.

"I don't think so…but we'll do our best. Everyone sleeps alone from the start. We have enough rooms, obviously. And each child has his or her own isolation time every day, which we lengthen as they grow older."

"Are they allowed outside?"

"Of course."the Solarian looked surprised at the question.

"I'd like that you'd allow her to go out at night."

"Night?"

"To get used to the stars, and the darkness…"Chronos trailed off.

"Oh, right."the Solarian nodded.

"May I view her?"asked Queen Serenity.

The person holding the bundle turned toward the fetologist, who nodded. She walked toward the queen's image, and held the baby toward her. The queen smiled.

"She's a very beautiful baby."she said. "I congratulate you."she said to the fetologist.

He shrugged.

"We'll keep doing the analyses, of course. All of our youngsters are tested throughout their childhood."the Solarian fetologist told them.

"And there will be no problems?"Queen Serenity asked him.

"Hopefully not. However, we will do just as you ask. We will do everything we can to remove any trace of sociability and such things. Our own queen is also raised differently from the rest of us, and we will treat the senshi of Pluto, just as uniquely as we raise our queen's Successor. The queen requires complete stability. Someone will have to be with her, looking after her, of course. The babies sicken if they don't get individual attention. It'll only be during their infancy. Once that phase is over, then she will treated, and instructed just as you wish."he assured.

"Will she know who her donor is?"Chronos asked.

"Why would that be of any importance?"the fetologist asked. "No one knows with whom they share genes. Why would they?"

"It's of no importance."replied Chronos.

Pluto was now in a small room. It wasn't very dark, but there wasn't a lot of light, either. In the room, she saw herself as a child. She remembered. Each day, she was to stand before a door. Always at the same time. Someone else entered the room.

"That's enough for today."they said. "It will be twilight soon. As soon as you've finished your meal, you will go outside to familiarize yourself with the stars."

"I've seen the stars all the time. Every night. And the sunshine sometimes, from the windows. Can I go outside while there's sunshine? Why can't I see anyone?"

"You will view anyone other than myself. You will see someone when you graduate. But only once. You must never see people. The sunshine will provide you with no training, it's not necessary. The stars are."

"But why can't I see anyone?"the young Pluto asked.

Pluto took a step closer. She always wanted that question answered. The time she spent by the Time Gate, that thought about that. Now was her chance to learn.

"Seeing is not part of your training. It's something no one must do."

"But the others see all the time!"

"They are only allowed to see , due to the orders."

"Why can't the orders say that I'm allowed to see someone as well? It's lonely sometimes, besides the other rooms are big."the younger Pluto insisted.

"You don't need a bigger room. And seeing is not part of your training."she was told.

"Is there a difference between seeing and viewing?"

"Yes. Seeing is something that must not be done."was the only explanation.

Pluto decided she would get more from the fetologist himself. She walked out of the room, and followed the corridor. Somehow she knew just where to look. The fetologist was once again viewing Chronos, Queen Serenity.


	18. Chapter 18

The Solarian fetologist was going through several files, and telling Queen Serenity and Chronos about Pluto's abilities as a senshi. Both of them looked quite interested.

"The last one to awaken will be the ability to communicate with the dead. I've known of some others who communicate with their predecessors, but I've always thought that was rather repulsive. Time, space, the fourth dimension, that would include the deceased, as well. But I don't think those are necessary. They can awaken if they're ever needed, though."he explained to them. "But I don't think that they will be. After all, it's my understanding that another of your guardians, occupies herself of that."

Queen Serenity nodded.

"Naturally, Saturn."she confirmed.

"What would be necessary for that?"asked Queen Serenity.

"One of her attacks will be the Dead Scream. Each time it will be used, the Garnet Orb will gain more power. It will have to be used a few times before that can happen, but it will. I doubt it will be necessary, though. It will be activated, however. Most likely by force of will."he finished.

Pluto walked away from the room. Her attack had always been exactly that to her, simply an attack. She'd never given it a second thought. Now it was something else, as well. She'd never thought about what could be behind it. She knew the Orb was a powerful object. After all, it was a talisman, and Queen Serenity had explained its power the first time she had met her, to explain the taboos.

She suddenly remembered she had not been given the Garnet Rod on Solaria. She had simply been taken outside, during the night, when else, and told that she had completed her training. Now that she had graduated, she would be leaving the farm, and going to a different location. Then she had been taken to Queen Serenity. Queen Serenity, she thought. She knew the Queen had died, when the Silver Millenium fell. And the fetologist said she could communicate with the deceased.

And he said that she could do it by force of will. Who better than Queen Serenity? The queen was the only person Pluto knew, other than the other senshi, and the Royal Family of Crystal Tokyo, as she had spent most of her life at the Time Gates, but they were still alive, and knew nothing about her origin. She had met the queen when she had graduated on Solaria.

As she thought about that, the Garnet Orb began to emit a glow. In front of her a fuzzy image appeared. It was the queen, just as Pluto remembered her. The outline wasn't as sharp and clear as it would have been, if she'd have used a viewer.

Instinctively, Pluto bowed to her.

"Queen."

"Pluto."

Queen Serenity held out her hands.

"Could I touch y ou?"asked Pluto.

One couldn't touch a holographic image, after all, and wasn't this like an image?she thought. The queen shook her head.

"It was something else the fetologist said. And, after all, I'm not really here, simply a memory, like a shadow."she explained.

Pluto looked around.

"Could anyone else see you?"

The queen shook her head.

"No. The only way that could be possible would be if someone else were holding the Garnet Rod."

"Why was I never told that I could view you after your death? Or about why I was born and raised here? And I remember nothing, nothing about my childhood."Pluto asked her.

"I knew Chronos, but only for the first decades after I was crowned Queen of the Silver Millenium. After all, even being the god of time, he wasn't immortal, unfortunately. No matter how long we may live, none of us are. Most of us don't agree with the Solarian way of life, living in complete isolation, very little matters outside their own planet, or even their own estates interests them. However, they are brilliant in eugenics. At least the one trained for that particular post. Perhaps one of them would have made a better guardian for the time gates. And that was suggested as a possibility, but, we all guard our own secrets so jealously, and they weren't willing to share one of theirs with the rest of us. We were very lucky that they agreed to this at all. Your upbringing was to fashion you a complete isolate. A recluse."she explained.

"But why?"

"So you could accustom yourself to solitude. You would be spending a lot of time alone, by the gates, of course. No one wanted you to feel alone, or sad."

"But I do feel alone."said Pluto.

Queen Serenity sighed.

"Genes obviously aren't anything. You aren't Solarian. They are taught to find happiness in their huge estates, their solitude, or freedom, as they refer to it. That was something I would speak to Chronos about. I can't tell you why you don't remember, though. Perhaps if you spoke to Solaria. She might be able to help you. After all, she was raised, and lives in the Solarian fashion."the queen noticed Pluto's sad expression. "There is something else that bothers you, isn't there?"

Pluto lowered her eyes.

"I have broken the taboos."she said.

"I know, but you shouldn't feel bad about it. There was no other way, and it was for a good cause."

Pluto shook her head.

"No,"she admitted. "I know your daughter. She is a good ruler, just as you were. Small Lady is also my friend."

Queen Serenity smiled.

"How I wish I could be with them."

"Solaria would only find me disgusting."Pluto told her.

"Why?"

"Because I do love someone, in a way Solaria would be horrified and disgusted by."


	19. Chapter 19

"I love King Endymion."Pluto confessed. "But I've only seen him so few times."she said.

The queen nodded, and reached out her arm toward Pluto. Of course, she couldn't touch her, but Pluto appreciated the gesture just the same.

"Solaria would just be horrified and disgusted if she knew that."

"Perhaps not."said Queen Serenity. "You and Solaria have more in common than you might think."

"No we don't. No one does."insisted Pluto.

Queen Serenity smiled.

"Perhaps it is time for you to return to Crystal Tokyo, Pluto. The rest of the girls must be very worried about you. And I always found Luna or Artemis comforting to speak to, although I would still suggest Solaria."she said.

Pluto nodded.

"Very well. Will I be able to see you again?"asked Pluto

"Of course."

Pluto took out another of her keys, and prepared to return to the future. When she landed, she found herself in the room, just as she'd left it. She felt much better than when she'd left, that she put her Rod down, and ran out of the room, doing something she never did. She went to look for Solaria, just as Queen Serenity had told her. She found Solaria in her own room, as usual. Solaria looked startled, at seeing someone else at the door.

"I thought you weren't in the palace."she said, putting her book down. "they've been looking for you?"

"I…would like to speak to you."said Pluto.

Solaria looked surprised.

"Um, of course, I guess."she said. "Only not too close, please."she backed away from Pluto.

Pluto nodded, and sat in a chair as far from Solaria as possible.

"I wanted to talk to you first, before anyone else."

"Oh."Solaria looked completely surprised. "Why would you want to talk to me?"she asked.

"Um, you grew up at the same farm I did?"Pluto began.

Solaria nodded.

"I was just there?"

"Oh? At the farm? You went back? But why?"she asked. "No one goes back, after they've graduated. Why would you go back?"

"I didn't really go back. I traveled back through time, to see."Pluto explained.

"Oh, I see."said Solaria, relaxing a bit. "I suppose that would mean you have found out why you were raised there."

Pluto nodded.

"They didn't want to allow a Solarian to guard the time gates, and Chronos wanted the guardian to carry his own genes."she explained.

"I guess that would sound sensible."

"I also learned some things about…about my powers."

Solaria stared.

"I also spoke to Queen Serenity."

"She's been looking for you, as well."

Pluto shook her head.

"Her mother. I can speak to the dead as well. And I summoned her."

Solaria's eyes were wide.

"Why would anyone view the dead?"she asked, distressed.

"Queen Serenity…why would…have you ever felt…do you love anyone?"Pluto asked, suddenly.

Solaria dropped the fan she was holding.

"What?!"she asked. "At the farm, that was bred out of everyone at an early age!"

"I was never allowed to mingle with anyone."Pluto told her.

"Why?"asked Solaria, breathing rapidly. "Why would you ask me that? It's a disgusting thing to ask someone."

"You asked Venus the same thing not long ago."

Solaria looked up, horrified.

"I also had access to the queen's memories when I spoke to her. Apparently, she knew about that."

"There are five, at least here, but…"Solaria looked uncomfortable.

"I saw one once."said Pluto. "The King."


	20. Chapter 20

Solaria didn't know whether to feel disgust, horror, or fascination. Really, what a most extraordinary conversation. She would never have been able to speak of the same thing to another Solarian. On Solaria, everything about someone's private life was almost sacrosanct. Good breeding told her she should demand to her viewing technician to break contact, but she wasn't viewing now. Pluto was actually in the same room as her.

"I don't think it's a good idea to discuss this."she said. "It's not…proper."

"I think it's not proper by Solarian standards only."Pluto replied. "We're not on Solaria."

Solaria had to acknowledge that she had a point.

"But we would be banished from society!"

"No one would find out."

Solaria looked around, as though looking to find a way out. Seeing that there was none, she turned back toward Pluto.

"Were you allowed to see others while you were at the farm?"asked Pluto.

Solaria stared at her lap, she would rather not remember that part of her life.

"Yes. They would have a part of the day set aside, for seeing only. It would decrease as we got older. We were only allowed because we were very young, but we were always told that seeing was a nasty, dirty thing that we must not do. I-"she hesitated. "never enjoyed it much."she finished, firmly. "It was very…upsetting. I have viewed someone who took to viewing from the very beginning."she told Pluto.

"I'm not interested in anyone who is fond of viewing."Pluto answered. "But you don't sound as though you're convinced that seeing was upsetting, as you say."

Solaria shifted uncomfortably.

"I remember so few of it. I don't think you'll find anyone who does. No one talks about it. It's simply not done."

"A taboo?"asked Pluto.

"Taboo?"Solaria repeated, perplexed. "I don't think so. I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Pluto nodded.

"I suppose so, but you never wanted to see?"

Why did Pluto insist so much on that, Solaria wondered. If she was honest, she would have to admit that she was right. After all, once she'd grown accustomed, she didn't mind being here, in the palace, with everyone else.

"Only because we were still so young. As we grew older we knew better."

"And you never want to see anyone? You're happy?"she asked.

"Why shouldn't I be happy? I have everything I could possibly want. If I want something I don't have, which I can't think of what that could be, I only need to ask for it. And I'm in good health."

"And you never wanted a friend?"asked Pluto.

Solaria stared.

"A friend? They never taught us anything about friends at the farm."

Pluto recalled the first time she had seen Small Lady, that one day, how she had turned to find the door open, and to her surprise, the heiress to Crystal Tokyo, peeking behind it. The first time she had seen the king and queen, as well, and how she spent hours staring at the door, wondering what it was like to be on the other side. As she heard her, Solaria was speechless. What Pluto was describing was so alien yet familiar.

"Haven't you ever wanted something you could not have? Haven't you ever imagined it?"she asked desperately.

"I…"Solaria was at a loss. "I guess it must be like wanting to see another estate, like, if you were by the sea, and you never saw mountains."she said slowly, turning away from Pluto. "Yes,"she blurted out. "yes, I have read many novels with settings on other planets, and I have viewed people from other planets. I do wonder what it is like to…mingle with others. So many people, so many crowds."she stared into space.

Pluto nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes."she said.

"I don't think we ought to have this conversation at all."said Solaria.

"No, tell me."Pluto insisted. "Do you ever feel sad because you feel alone."

Solaria shrugged.

"I would usually find other things to cheer me up if I feel alone. The price to give up for that would be great. We would have to give up our freedom for it. I guess in your case, we would give up more. It would mean, well, who would guard the door?"

Pluto nodded.

"Yes, I know. I was told that from the beginning."

"My position may be the one of most power on Solaria, but yet, it's the one, I think of most unrest. See, I had to travel here. Most Solarians will never leave their estates, they will never know what it is like to have another person so close, to see. I will. Sometimes it is much harder to go back. They will never know. Ever. The last time I left Solaria…but it is home."she said, firmly. "And believe it or not, I am always glad to be home. To smell the scent of the grass, flowers, to see the familiar star that is the Solarian sun. To wander around, aimlessly, for miles and miles, and run, and run, until you are only glad to stop and sit on the grass, and bathe in the pond, or river."she said, her voice nostalgic. "Sometimes I see the night sky, and I wonder which one of those is Solaria's star."she said. "Besides,"she turned to Pluto. "you don't really have to be alone now, after all, do you? As you found out, you can communicate with the deceased, didn't you? You might not know many of them, but why not think of them as company?"she suggested. "At least they are your intellectual equals, the laborers don't."

Listening to Solaria, Pluto realized how much Solaria was right.

"You're right."she said. 'Thank you. I never thought about it that way. I could see the queen again."she smiled. "You know, I am glad that I spoke to you. You wouldn't give up your freedom for anything, would you?"

Solaria shook her head.

"Not likely."she said.

Pluto stood up, and left. On her way out, she caught a glimpse out of the window, she saw the Royal Family outside. King Endymion, Queen Serenity, and Small Lady. She smiled. She would have liked to be there, to have a family, however, just as Solaria said more or less, that wasn't her place. Just like Solaria found comfort in her estate, perhaps she could find comfort as well. Yes, perhaps she could. And, after all, what could be better than to see her friends happy? Even if she wasn't there. She had broken the last and most important taboo to save them. And what better reward could there be? As she had heard the fetologist say once, it is an important job that must be done. It was obvious that neither the one she had seen when she went back in time, or in the present enjoyed their posts. She smiled

"Could you do something for me?"she asked.

Solaria turned. No one had ever asked her for anything, she was usually the one who gave the orders. Yet she found it a bit pleasant.

"Um, I suppose I could."she said.

"Please don't tell anyone anything about this. Tell them I returned to my post at the door, after I visited the farm. And not to worry."

Solaria nodded.

"Of course."

"Thank you. Thank you so much!"she repeated.

She walked out of the room, and headed back to her post.


End file.
